Category: This Blessed House

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/26 June) —  In PM Junior’s famous comic strip Pugad Baboy last Saturday, one of the characters suggested that it’s futile to argue about electoral fraud in the Philippines because, whether we admit it or not, it is happening. It’s more worthy to investigate the types of fraud being committed. Aside from dagdag-bawas (vote padding and shaving), there’s a whole gamut of tricks candidates can pull out of their sleeves to ensure votes. Discussing them was the initial idea for this column but I suppressed the urge. Rather than enumerate them, I want to delve on the reason why politicians would risk life and money –both things not necessarily their own— just to be, or in the case of incumbent officials, to stay in power.

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / June 22) — In the 1990s, sashaying in their colorful national or ethnic costumes, contestants of gay beauty pageants came up with the most astonishing introductions that elicited different audience reaction – from silent protest to pure delight.